Over protective
by StoryReader888
Summary: A request from quizilla. RenjixOC


Written for: **Ponyboy7** on quizilla.

* * *

Hotaru was part of Hitsugaya's group that had been sent to the world of the living in order to assist Kurosaki Ichigo in his fight against the Arrancars. Though her elder brother had told her that she was not allowed to go, he was not her captain and, ultimately, his opinion meant nothing.

She smiled to herself as she recalled the look on Byakuya's face when Kyoraku-taichou told him that. Even Yamamoto-sou-taichou had agreed! It was a priceless expression, and she found herself wishing she had taken a picture. The shinigami women's association would have loved it!

Being caught up in the memory, she failed to take notice of her surroundings and ran right into another student. She opened her mouth to apologize but froze when she got a good look at him.

The poor boy looked terrified out of his mind!

"G-Gomen!" he squeaked, scrambling to pull himself off of the floor. Hotaru wouldn't let him get away so easily, though, and grabbed his arm.

He cried out, shutting his eyes in a failed attempt to hide his tears. She softened her grip, eyes shining with concern for the human boy.

"Hey, are you okay?"

He looked up at her in shock, not expecting such a kind reaction. "I-I'm fine."

She put her hand on her hip, giving him a disbelieving look. Before she could call him out on his blatant lie, another boy approached them, calling out to the boy before who. He tensed at this, his hands wrapping tight around Hotaru's shirt.

It wasn't too difficult to figure out that he was the reason for the boy's great fear. She didn't know what he had done to scare Kiyoshi so badly, but the reason mattered little to her.

She gently pushed the mouse-like male behind her.

"Was there something you needed with Kiyoshi?"

The unknown male stepped forward, trying to intimidate her with his height and a mean look, but Hotaru was far from scared. She had faced far more imposing opponents in her lifetime.

This human was nothing to her.

"What are you, his bodyguard?"

"So what if I am?" she flipped her hair back and stuck her nose in the air as a sort of challenge towards the male. "What buisness do you have with him? I will settle it now."

He growled at her attitude. "Watch how you speak to me, girl."

"Or what?"

The male grabbed the front of her shirt, hoisting her into the air and bringing her face dangerously close to his own. "Or I'll beat you like I do that wimp you're protecting."

Her eyes narrowed in anger at the threat. What reason could he possibly have to beat Kiyoshi? None at all.

As angry as she was. she kept her cool just as her brother had taught her. Expressing anger in such a manner was undignified and beneath her.

"You're invading my personal space. Release me."

"You little bit - "

The boy's speach was cut short by a fist to his face.

Hotaru landed back on the ground, blinking at the fallen boy. She looked over her shoulder to see who had interfered with her fight. Renji towered over her with an annoyed expression, but he wasn't alone. Ichigo and Rukia stood on either side of him, as well.

"Hotaru-sama, are you alright?" Rukia rushed to her side, blue eyes scanning her form for damage she might have taken.

She chuckled, patting the girl's shoulder. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Idiot. What are you doing taking on four guys by yourself?" Renji scowled at her, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I can handle myself, ahou." she bit back.

As much as she loved the red-headed lieutenant, it annoyed her how over-protective he was. For Kami's sake, she was the fourth seat of squad eight. She was more than capable of taking care of herself.

"Is that why he had you by the collar?!"

She rolled her eyes and turned to Kiyoshi with a small smile on her face. "If they mess with you again, let me know. I'll be here to protect you, okay?"

He noded, managing a small smile. "T-Thank you."

* * *

"He gets bullied alot." Ichigo explained to the group as they headed to the roof for lunch. "He's really shy and soft-spoken, kind of a pushover, and that makes him a big target. Kinda like he's wearing a bulls-eye on his back."

"How dispicable." Hotaru clenched her fists at her side, eyes closed in an attempt to keep her anger under control. "It's one thing for it to be one on one, but four on one... They have no honor."

Ichigo glanced at her and nodded in agreement.

There wasn't much they could do, though.

Even so, that was not enough to stop Kuchiki Hotaru.

Those boys had another thing coming.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Hotaru snuck away from the other shinigami and followed Kiyoshi's faint spiritual pressure.

As she had suspected, he was surrounded by four boys, being kicked while he was down - quite literally.

She ran over, pushing the closest boy to her away. He stumbled back before hitting the ground. The others came after her at the same time, but she easily dodged their slow attacks and went on the offensive. She slammed her foot into the stomach of one before snapping the second's jaw with the heel of her hand. She dodged the third's punch and retaliated with a punch of her own, right to the face.

She 'hmph'ed and spun around.

Kiyoshi was staring at her with amazement and wonder shining in his brown eyes.

She winked at him. "Told ya I'd be there."

He smiled through his tears and rushed into her arms. "Thank you, nee-san!"

With a chuckle, the soul reaper ruffled his messy hair, well aware of the three approaching spiritual pressures. It hadn't taken long for her friends to realize that she was MIA, but it had been enough time for her to finish taking care of buisness.

"Hotaru-sama! You shouldn't run off like that!" Rukia scolded once she reached the pair, her hands placed on her hips.

"She's right, Hotaru." Renji stepped up beside his friend, eyes narrowed at the mousy boy that was still wrapped in her arms. He could feel the jealousy rage in the pit of his stomach, and the worry he had felt for the reckless girl did little to help that.

"I don't want to hear that from you, Renji."

"And what's that supposed to mean?!"

"You know damn well what it means!"

By this point, Ichigo and Rukia had migrated away from the scene, taking Kiyoshi with them. That left Hotaru and Renji alone, heated, and in each other's face.

Just like always, Hotaru ended up caving first, her eyes softening.

Renji, however, had no intention of letting the subject go.

"Why are you so against me protecting you?"

"I appreciate the fact that you want to, Renj." she murmured softly, her arms wrapping around his neck and bringing his face closer until their foreheads met. "It's just that you treat me like a child. I can handle myself... Byakuya taught me well."

He heaved a sigh, his own arms slithering around her waist. "I know. I just don't want to lose you."

"Aww, Renji. You're such a sap~" she cooed, making his face turn as red as his hair.

She just insulted him, didn't she?

She totally just insulted him!

"Why you - !"

"Catch me if you can, Renbaka!"

He growled before taking off after his girlfriend, egged on by her carefree laughter.

Sure, he was rather over-protective when it came to her and it often grated her last nerve, but she loved him and would never ask him to change.

Besides, she always managed to get her revenge, in one way or another.

"Damn it, Hotaru! Give me my hair tie back!"

"Come and get it, red~!"

"Those two are perfect for each other." Ichigo sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "How did they even end up together, anyway?"

"It's very simple, really."

Ichigo turned around to look at Rukia, expecting her to clarify, but he deadpanned when he saw her holding up her drawing book.

"What the hell is that thing?!"

"Can't you tell? It's Hotaru-sama!"

"Oh yeah, sure. I can see it now... IF SHE WERE IN A HORROR MOVIE!"

Kiyoshi laughed lightly as Rukia began to chase Ichigo, threatening him with the drawing book held over her head.

The four were certainly strange, but they had saved his life.

For that, he would be eternally grateful.


End file.
